THE WORLD IN SUMMARY; Guerrillas Regroup As Carter Switches On Salvador Arms

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The ''final offensive'' of Salvadoran guerrillas against the civilian-military junta has turned out to be just another bloody chapter in that country's civil strife. But it did provide a justification for increased United States military and economic aid to the junta that blurred the distinction between the outgoing Carter Administration's policy toward Central America and the Reagan Administration's pre-inaugural rhetoric.

Among its last acts, the Carter State Department disclosed last week that it had sent El Salvador ''lethal'' military aid for the first time since 1977. Transfused with a quick fix of $5 million in rifles, ammunition, grenades and helicopters, the junta seemed to have little trouble containing the guerrilla offensive, although hit-and-run strikes continued. The Government said it killed 1,000 guerrillas to defeat the offensive, at a loss of about 100 troops. The reported deaths brought the political toll for the past year to more than 10,000.

In one of its first acts, the Reagan Administration further bolstered the junta, increasing economic aid by $12.5 million, to $32.5 million.

Announcing the arms aid, which came on top of $5 million in ''nonlethal'' military assistance, the Carter State Department said it was justified by an increase in ''Marxist terrorism, supported covertly with arms, ammunition and training...by Cuba and other Communist nations.''

A Salvadoran Cabinet minister denied that there had been any change in the amount or source of the guerrillas' arms, saying that ''weapons have been coming from Cuba, Russia, China and Nicaragua for more than a year. The only change has been in your country,'' he said, referring to the change of administrations.

The Carter Administration also said the junta had taken ''positive steps'' to investigate the murder of four American women missionaries last month. This was vehemently disputed by the outgoing United States Ambassador, Robert E. White, who said he had no evidence the Salvadorans were ''conducting a serious investigation.'' Mr. White said arms aid to the junta was justified by the military situation but that he would not be party to ''a cover-up'' on the American deaths.

The State Department also announced that it was holding up the last $15 million of a $75 million loan to Nicaragua to allow the Reagan Administration to assess how the first $60 million had been spent. A spokesman denied reports that the program was being suspended to persuade Nicaragua not to aid the Salvadoran guerrillas. He cited reports of Nicaraguan support for the guerrillas but said there was no proof that it had the Sandinist Government's approval.

A version of this article appears in print on January 25, 1981, on Page 4004006 of the National edition with the headline: THE WORLD IN SUMMARY; Guerrillas Regroup As Carter Switches On Salvador Arms. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe